WHAT'S HAPPENING

After a lengthy hiatus due to the pandemic, the SORCO Raptor Rehab Centre will be opening its doors to welcome the public back this May.

Even with regulatory changes and bans on the sale and use of rat poison officially implemented in British Columbia, the Okanagan's only raptor rehabilitation centre continues to see birds passing away from the effects of secondary poisoning.

A bald eagle rescued near Peachland is doing well in the care of SORCO, the Okanagan's only raptor rehabilitation centre for injured birds of prey.

Regulatory changes to the sale and use of rodenticides that travel up the food chain and harm wild animals will be permanent in British Columbia — welcome news to rescue organizations that see the ill effects of the poison on an almost daily basis.

The SORCO raptor rehabilitation centre in Oliver is looking forward to the conversation from the province on proposed regulatory changes that will ban the widespread sale and use of second-generation rodenticides.

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It is baby bird season in the Okanagan and the SORCO raptor rehabilitation centre in Oliver is already busy, taking in close to 20 young ones so far.

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It will be another year before the public gets to come by the SORCO raptor rehabilitation centre in Oliver.

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"We had to make a decision and unfortunately, the decision was to cancel it again this year," manager Dale Belvedere shared. "It's very disappointing for all of us."

SORCO will be holding its 2021 AGM Sunday, July 18th 2021 from 11am - noon.

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Interested members of the public are invited.

Location is onsite at: 

8965 Hwy 97, Oliver

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Please note: Covid-19 protocols as per current BC Public Health guidelines will be in effect. Masks for all attendees are mandatory.

For the second year in a row, the SORCO raptor rehabilitation centre in Oliver has had to cancel its annual open house.

This is the only time it is open to the public and a major fundraiser they rely on to fund their rescue work for birds of prey.

Meet Bert and Ernie, a pair of tiny owls who are SORCO raptor rehabilitation centre in Oliver's first patients of the new year. 

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The pair are saw whet owls, the second smallest species of owl that lives in the South Okanagan, behind pygmy owls. 

A daring rescue of an osprey entangled in twine took place in Oliver Monday, thanks to a trained professional for climbing the pole to the bird's nest.

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The rescue was facilitated by SORCO Raptor Rehab Centre

A rare Flammulated owl only 3 weeks old was rescued by volunteer couriers and dropped to the South Okanagan Rehabilitation Centre for Owls (SORCO) recently.

SORCO rescues the first injured baby owl of the season came in on March 21, estimated at one month old. 

Due to Covid-19, the South Okanagan Rehabilitation Centre for Owls (SORCO) has cancelled its popular annual open house, a major event that they usually rely on for a significant amount of their funding. 

Stag's Hollow, an Okanagan Falls winery collected thousands of dollars in donations over their summer tasting season to be given to the SORCO raptor rehab centre for birds of prey, located down the highway in Oliver.

Dale Belvedere still gets emotional when she recalls the days that a wildfire threatened SORCO, the rehabilitation centre for birds of prey.